Patents by Inventor Andrew Rinzler

Andrew Rinzler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20090302310
    Abstract: A vertical field effect transistor (FET) comprises a gate electrode and a first electrode layer having a dielectric layer interposed between these electrodes and a semiconducting active layer electrically coupled to the first electrode. The active layer and the dielectric layer sandwich at least a portion of the first electrode where at least one portion of the active layer is unshielded by the first electrode such that the unshielded portion is in direct physical contact with the dielectric layer. A second electrode layer is electrically coupled to the active layer where the second electrode is disposed on at least a portion of the unshielded portion of the active layer such that the second electrode can form electrostatic fields with the gate electrode upon biasing in unscreened regions near the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Andrew Rinzler, Zhuangchun Wu, Bo Liu
  • Publication number: 20080063585
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to a fullerene nanotube composition. The fullerene nanotubes may be in the form of a felt, such as a bucky paper. Optionally, the fullerene nanotubes may be derivatized with one or more functional groups. Devices employing the fullerene nanotubes of this invention are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: March 13, 2008
    Inventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew Rinzler, Jason Hafner, Kenneth Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Publication number: 20070141345
    Abstract: An optically transparent and electrically conductive single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) film comprises a plurality of interpenetrated single walled carbon nanotubes, wherein for a 100 nm film the film has sufficient interpenetration to provide a 25° C. sheet resistance of less than 200 ohm/sq. The film also provides at least 20% optical transmission throughout a wavelength range from 0.4 ?m to 5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Rinzler, Zhihong Chen
  • Publication number: 20070065977
    Abstract: A method of forming patterned thin films includes the steps of providing a porous membrane and a solution including a plurality of solid constituents and at least one surface stabilizing agent for preventing the solid constituents from flocculating out of suspension. The solution is dispensed onto a surface of the membrane. The solution is then removed by filtration through the membrane, wherein a patterned film coated membrane comprising a plurality of primarily spaced apart patterned regions are formed on the membrane. In one embodiment the method further includes the step of blocking liquid passage through selected portions of the membrane to form a plurality of open membrane portions and a plurality of blocked membrane portions before the dispensing step. The dispensing step includes ink jet printing the solution. An article having a patterned nanotube-including film thereon includes a substrate, and a patterned nanotube including film disposed on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Rinzler, Zhuangchun Wu
  • Publication number: 20070048209
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to carbon fiber produced from fullerene nanotube arrays. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a macroscopic carbon fiber comprising at least 106 fullerene nanotubes in generally parallel orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew Rinzler, Jason Hafner, Kenneth Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Publication number: 20070043158
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to a method for producing self-assembled objects comprising fullerene nanotubes and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, the present invention involves a three-dimensional structure of derivatized fullerene nanotubes that spontaneously form. It includes several components having multiple derivatives brought together to assemble into the three-dimensional structure. In another embodiment, objects may be obtained by bonding functionally-specific agents (FSAs) to groups of nanotubes, enabling them to form into structures. The bond selectivity of FSAs allow selected nanotubes of a particular size or kind to assemble together and inhibit the assembling of unselected nanotubes that may also be present.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew Rinzler, Jason Hafner, Kenneth Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Publication number: 20060213251
    Abstract: A multi-layer H2 sensor includes a carbon nanotube layer, and a ultra-thin metal or metal alloy layer in contact with the nanotube layer. The ultra-thin metal or metal alloy layer is preferably from 10 to 50 angstroms thick. An electrical resistance of the layered sensor increases upon exposure to H2 and can provide detection of hydrogen gas (H2) down to at least 10 ppm, The metal or metal alloy layer is preferably selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd and Pt, or mixtures thereof. Multi-layered sensors and can be conveniently operated at room temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: Andrew Rinzler, Jennifer Sippel-Oakley, Byoung Kang, Hung-Ta Wang, Fan Ren, Stephen Pearton
  • Publication number: 20060008407
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of making single-wall carbon nanotubes by laser vaporizing a mixture of carbon and one or more Group VIII transition metals. Single-wall carbon nanotubes preferentially form in the vapor and the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyzed growth of the single-wall carbon nanotubes. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more single-wall carbon nanotubes are fixed in a high temperature zone so that the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyze further growth of the single-wall carbon nanotube that is maintained in the high temperature zone. In another embodiment, two separate laser pulses are utilized with the second pulse timed to be absorbed by the vapor created by the first pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Ting Guo, Andrew Rinzler, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Publication number: 20050260120
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to a forming an array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in an electric field and compositions thereof. In one embodiment, a purified bucky paper of single-wall carbon nanotubes is used as the starting material. Upon oxidative treatment of the bucky paper surface, many tube and/or rope ends protrude up from the surface of the paper. Disposing the resulting bucky paper in an electric field results in the protruding tubes and or ropes of single-wall carbon nanotubes aligning in a direction substantially perpendicular to the paper surface. These tubes tend to coalesce to form a molecular array. In another embodiment, a molecular array of SWNTs can be made by “combing” the purified bucky paper starting material with a sharp microscopic tip to align the nanotubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew Rinzler, Jason Hafner, Kenneth Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Publication number: 20050249656
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to forming a patterned array of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, a nanoscale array of microwells is provided on a substrate; a metal catalyst is deposited in each microwells; and a stream of hydrocarbon or CO feedstock gas is directed at the substrate under conditions that effect growth of single-wall carbon nanotubes from each microwell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jie Liu, Andrew Rinzler, Jason Hafner, Ken Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Publication number: 20050244326
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to dispersing and fractionating single-wall carbon nanotubes, which can be derivatized to facilitate fractionation, for example, by adding solubilizing moieties to the nanotubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Daniel Colbert, Hongjie Dai, Jason Hafner, Andrew Rinzler, Richard Smalley, Jie Liu, Kenneth Smith, Ting Guo, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess
  • Publication number: 20050199894
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes at least one semiconductor layer, a metal layer in electrical contact with the semiconductor layer, and a carbon nanotube contact layer interposed between the metal layer and the semiconductor layer. The contact layer electrically couples the metal layer to the semiconductor layer and provides a semiconductor contact having low specific contact resistance. The contact layer can be substantially optically transparent layer in at least a portion of the visible light range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Publication date: September 15, 2005
    Inventors: Andrew Rinzler, Stephen Pearton
  • Publication number: 20050100497
    Abstract: This invention provides a method of making single-wall carbon nanotubes by laser vaporizing a mixture of carbon and one or more Group VIII transition metals. Single-wall carbon nanotubes preferentially form in the vapor and the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyzed growth of the single-wall carbon nanotubes. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more single-wall carbon nanotubes are fixed in a high temperature zone so that the one or more Group VIII transition metals catalyze further growth of the single-wall carbon nanotube that is maintained in the high temperature zone. In another embodiment, two separate laser pulses are utilized with the second pulse timed to be absorbed by the vapor created by the first pulse.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 12, 2005
    Applicant: William Marsh Rice University
    Inventors: Richard Smalley, Daniel Colbert, Ting Guo, Andrew Rinzler, Pavel Nikolaev, Andreas Thess